Keen for Quinoa

I love trying out new recipes and I would often come across this ingredient, quinoa, however, I often dismissed it as an ingredient I would never find in Malta and that was that.

When I started personal training back in January, my trainer who also cares about my nutrition asked if I had ever tried quinoa – which I had never. My trainer happens to be a stark-raving mad Scotsman, who I thought would preach solely about the benefits of haggis, but I was wrong.

Firstly, I was pronouncing it wrong: it’s keen-wah rather than quin-noah. And secondly, it is a super food, rich in protein.

When seasoned properly, it’s really delicious and very filling. A little bit goes a long way.

Some important tips for quinoa:

1. Be sure to rinse it first. Put it in a fine sieve to drain and let it drip for a good fifteen minutes.

2. Toast it before boiling to get rid of as much moisture as possible. Too much water equals quinoa mush, which is disgusting.

3. When boiling, if you use a cup of quinoa, be sure to use only a cup and a half of water and let it simmer partially covered for 16 minutes.

I like adding some basil and mint, garlic, red onion, tomatoes and cucumbers to make a sort of quinoa tabbouleh.